NORTHERN IRELAND

Credit Unions Annual Report

Ian Pearson: In accordance with Section 100 of the Industrial and Provident Societies Act (Northern Ireland) 1989 and Article 81 of the Credit Union (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 copies of the Credit Unions Annual Report 2001–02 have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses today.

Companies Registry Annual Report

Ian Pearson: In accordance with Article 677 of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, copies of the Companies Registry Annual Report 2001–02 have been placed in the Libraries of the House today.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Changes to Immigration Practice

Beverley Hughes: The Government are committed to maintaining effective immigration control while at the same time ensuring that genuine passengers are able to pass through our ports with the least possible inconvenience.
	An essential part of our effort to maintain effective immigration control is to prevent passengers entering or remaining in the United Kingdom using forged documents. We have therefore been working with our EU colleagues on a new secure vignette to be used when people are granted permission to remain in this country. The new vignette, which will be placed in the holder's passport, follows a common EU-wide format allowing easy identification across the whole of the EU. This does not alter the conditions on which a person may enter the UK, or allow those people granted permission to remain in other EU countries to come to the UK. The vignette is solely a uniform and secure way of granting people permission to remain within each member state of the EU.
	The new common format permit will be introduced in the UK from mid-September 2003.
	In parallel with this initiative we are introducing changes to the Immigration Rules which will require non-EEA nationals who wish to come to the UK for more than six months to obtain an entry clearance before travelling here. The entry clearance will be obtained from a British diplomatic mission overseas. This change reflects the need effectively to manage the flow of passengers through UK ports and at the same time provide a first class service to travellers. By introducing this change we intend to streamline the service provided to people who are coming to the UK. For people who are coming to this country for more than six months we do not believe that applying for entry clearance in advance of travel will prove an unreasonable burden. This approach will provide the best service to passengers and allows for the most efficient use of our resources.
	It is our intention that the new entry clearance arrangements will be introduced in stages over a two-year period. The first stage will involve introducing this requirement for nationals of 10 countries and will come into force from 13 November 2003. We will be publicising this change in advance but recognise that there may be some passengers who are not aware of this change. There will therefore be transition arrangements to ensure that genuine passengers are not unduly inconvenienced. A "grace period" will operate until 23.59 on 13 January 2004, during which any passenger who arrives at a UK port, and would qualify for entry except for the absence of the necessary entry clearance, will be admitted.

Security for Small Retailers

David Blunkett: I am pleased to announce today the specific projects which will receive funding from the 2003–04 allocation from the Capital Modernisation Fund to assist small retailers in deprived areas to improve the security of their business.
	The sum of £5.8 million has been distributed to regions in England and Wales according to the formula based on an equal share for each region, crimes impacting on retailers and percentage of people living in the most deprived wards. The remaining £200,000 of the third year funding has been set aside for administration and evaluation.
	This year's funding will provide assistance to a minimum of 5,000 individual retailers and essential businesses. As in previous years, this funding will be spent on schemes identified by regional Home Office Directors, in conjunction with Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships and a variety of interventions will be employed, including enhancing the security of individual premises and improving the environment of shopping parades. This will mean that over the three years of the initiative, since 2001, over 12,500 individual shop's units will have directly benefited from improved security measures.
	I have placed in the Library a paper showing the allocations of funds to individual projects. I have also written to hon. Members in England and Wales who have projects in their constituencies.

TREASURY

FSA Annual Report

Paul Boateng: The Annual Report of the Financial Services Authority has today been laid before Parliament. Copies are available in the Libraries of both Houses. The Report forms a key part of the accountability mechanism for the Financial Services Authority under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, and assesses the performance of the Financial Services Authority over the past 12 months against its statutory objectives.